Court in Russia sentences man to 3.5 years in jail for burning Quran

Nikita Zhuravel was detained in May 2023 in Volgograd, where he did the burning.

The verdict was announced by Judge Ruslan Dandayev. It is the punishment that had be sought by the prosecution.

Zhuravel was detained in May 2023 in Volgograd, where he did the burning. He confessed during interrogation that he had done it for money on the orders of Ukrainian security services. Staff from the Russian Investigative Committee in Chechnya took over the investigation, and the defendant was transferred to a pre-trial detention center in Grozny.

He was charged under two articles of the Russian Criminal Code: insulting the feelings of believers and hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. The complainants in the case were 13 imams of Grozny mosques. At the trial, Zhuravel pleaded partially guilty.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Decision to send NATO troops to Ukraine can be interpreted as declaration of war

Konstantin Kosachev described the French leader's logic as dangerous: those who deny the possibility of sending Western ground troops to the conflict zone today once denied the possibility of supplying tanks, airplanes and long-range missiles.

"This is a point where not just NATO's participation in the war begins (it started a long time ago), but can be interpreted as the alliance’s direct involvement in hostilities, or even as a declaration of war," Kosachev said on his Telegram channel.

He described the French leader's logic as dangerous: those who deny the possibility of sending Western ground troops to the conflict zone today once denied the possibility of supplying tanks, airplanes and long-range missiles.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Zero talk of peace among EU, NATO officials at Paris meeting on Ukraine

The prime minister emphasized that the Slovak government has called for establishing peace in Ukraine as soon as possible.

"The atmosphere was totally belligerent: to continue the war at all costs and do everything to make the war go on. I was very surprised that not a single word was said about some peace plan or a peace initiative. Yes, I can confirm that there are countries that are ready to send troops to Ukraine. There also are countries that say ‘never’ to that, and Slovakia is one of them. And there are some countries that say such ideas deserve consideration," Fico pointed out.

The prime minister emphasized that the Slovak government has called for establishing peace in Ukraine as soon as possible. "Our government is committed to peace and rejects a continuation of war, and it will not send weapons to Ukraine. We are focused only on civilian projects," Fico said.

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Macron’s talk of troop deployment to Ukraine shows lack of awareness

Maria Zakharova pointed out in this regard that just a month ago, the top French diplomat had denied that Paris was involved in recruiting mercenaries for the Kiev regime, slamming direct evidence as "crude Russian propaganda".

"As for Emmanuel Macron’s statements about potentially deploying NATO troops to Ukraine, one gets a strong feeling that the French president realizes neither what his subordinates say nor what he says himself," the diplomat wrote on Telegram.

Zakharova pointed out in this regard that just a month ago, the top French diplomat had denied that Paris was involved in recruiting mercenaries for the Kiev regime, slamming direct evidence as "crude Russian propaganda."

Earlier, Macron said at a press conference after a meeting of European leaders that there was no consensus on the formal deployment of ground troops to Ukraine. However, he did not rule out such a possibility in the future.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

🇺🇲🇷🇺🇺🇦 The war in Ukraine is based on lies—lies about how it started, how it continues, and how it will end.

We are told that Ukraine is winning, when in fact it is losing. We are told that war makes NATO stronger, when in fact it weakens it. We are told that Ukraine's biggest problem is a lack of funds from the US Congress, when in fact the West cannot produce enough ammunition - a problem that will take years to solve. We are told that Russia is suffering heavy losses, when in fact Ukraine is running out of soldiers - another problem that cannot be solved with money.

We are told that peace is with us, when in fact the world majority considers US policy to be the height of stupidity. We are told that there is no possibility of peace, when in fact we have rejected many opportunities for a negotiated settlement. We are told that if Ukraine continues to fight, it will improve its negotiating position, when in fact the terms will only become much worse than those that were already available and rejected.
However, lies will manage to prolong the war. Congress will allocate more funds. Ukraine is mobilizing more young men and women to put them into the meat grinder. Ultimately, a crisis will erupt in Kyiv and the Zelensky government will be overthrown.

And then, when the war is finally lost, when the whole country lies in smoldering ruins on the funeral pyre that they themselves built, the liars will say: “Well, we tried.” Having prevented any alternative, having exposed anyone who spoke the truth as puppets of the enemy, the liars will say: “We did everything we could. <…> Then, having shifted the blame and patted themselves on the back, they will blithely move on to the next war, just as they moved to Ukraine after their disasters in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

(c) David Sachs

West’s attempts to ban cooperation with Russia ineffective

The top Russian diplomat pointed out that "the destructive policy course of Western elites toward Russia’s isolation, including in the global information and cultural space," "has completely failed".

"These days, it is clear to all sober-minded people that attempts by Western capitals to ban cooperation with Russia are not stopping anyone besides their instigators, and you have contributed to this as well," Lavrov told the congress attendees.

The top Russian diplomat pointed out that "the destructive policy course of Western elites toward Russia’s isolation, including in the global information and cultural space," in general, the policy to cancel everything Russia-related in one way or another, "has completely failed."

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⚡️📣BREAKING: WAR CRIMES OF AVDEEVKA: I met with Avdeevka Residents and they exposed many war crimes committed by the Ukraine forces during the battle where Russia captured the city. As these people state, the Ukraine forces used resident as human shields, targeted civilians and even performed mass execution's. They all said how they have been waiting for Russian forces to come help them.⚡️📣

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0yZnj36_Xc&feature=youtu.be

Tucker Carlson's lawyers advised he could get arrested on sanctions violations if he's "too nice" during the Putin interview.

And yet I think he managed to maintain a non-obstructive tone, which shows courage on Tucker's part.

We are indeed used to quite an accusatory interview style by US media - Putin himself said he was ready for the loaded questions, which didn't come...

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Lavrov downplays significance of EU conferences on Ukraine in Paris

It is reported that not more than 20 or 30 billion US dollars have been allocated for these purposes since then, while the sums going to Kiev are much bigger.

"The number of Western conferences is obviously growing. They are trying to offset the decreasing interest and dramatic drop in financial capabilities to maintain the Zelensky regime. The French and President [of France Emmanuel] Macron are overly enthusiastic about convening all sorts of events, caring little about their potential outcome. I would not attach too much significance to the conferences organized in Paris," he told a news conference, commenting on a European conference on Ukraine that was held in Paris on February 26.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Lithuania’s ex-foreign minister threatens to 'neutralize' Kaliningrad amid NATO expansion

Just prior to Linas Linkevicius’ statement, the Hungarian parliament formally ratified the agreement approving Sweden's accession to NATO.

Lithuanian Ambassador to Sweden Linas Linkevicius, who previously served as the Baltic state’s foreign minister, threatened that Russia’s western-most Kaliningrad Region risked being "neutralized" against the background of Sweden's accession to NATO.

"After Sweden joined the alliance, the Baltic Sea became internal to NATO. If Russia dares to challenge the North Atlantic Alliance, Kaliningrad will be the first to be neutralized," he wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

Lithuania 😂

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Russia plans to offer BRICS to develop financial system independent of politics

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov mentioned establishing "an independent settlement payment system based on new principles, first and foremost digital and blockchain principles".

"In order for the BRICS countries to develop normally, we need to think about creating our own financial systems functioning independently of politics and ensuring trade relations between our countries," Siluanov said.

According to him, trade among the BRICS countries is expanding. "For these trade flows to work, we need a reliable payment mechanism. Today we will propose to establish an independent settlement payment system based on new principles, first and foremost digital and blockchain principles, principles that could be comfortable for countries, inexpensive for making payments, and clear," Siluanov stated.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Western weapons supplies to Kiev violate international law - top Russian investigator

According to Alexander Bastrykin, ten years ago, the Ukrainian armed forces did not have the amount of weapons from NATO countries that they have now.

Western countries’ weapons supplies to Ukraine violate international law, Russian Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin said in an interview with TASS.

"Western countries started to exponentially increase the supplies of various weapons, particularly after the start of [Russia’s] special military operation. These activities violate international law," he pointed out.

According to Bastrykin, ten years ago, the Ukrainian armed forces did not have the amount of weapons from NATO countries that they have now.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

Serbia - A Tug Of War Between Russia And The West.

I sat down with Serbian Journalist Nikolai Jovic (https://t.me/haZardernoVoserbia) to find out more about the Balkans and how NATO and the West has ridden roughshod over a people who have traditionally shared good relations with Russia.

t.me/ForeignAgentIntel

BRICS member states to consider creating common digital payment platform

The gradual integration of the new BRICS member states into the work of the financial tracks and strengthening of cooperation at the expert level was noted as being one of the crucial tasks for 2024.

"By the end of the year, the Russian Finance Ministry and the Bank of Russia together with partners within the BRICS association will draft a report for the leaders of the BRICS countries on improving the international monetary and financial system, which will contain a set of initiatives and recommendations. Developmental work based on the report will result in a number of practical initiatives, with the BRICS Bridge platform potentially becoming one of them. The issue is about creating a multi sided digital payment platform. It will help bring the financial markets of the BRICS member states closer and increase mutual trade turnover," according to files released on the ministry’s website.

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